Simpsons DVD Question

[PearlJamFan2000]

Hey Simpsons fans...believe it or not I had never seen any episodes of the Simpsons until they started putting out the seasons on DVD. I borrowed season 1 from a friend and I was hooked.

My question is: I have the first two seasons (I bought the second season blindly) and was wondering how far I should go on with the blind purchases? From what I understand, the later years are not as funny as the earlier ones. i.e. A friend once told me "they were really great through season 6"

Thanks,
Derek

[Ron Stone]

Considering they're only releasing a couple Simpsons seasons per year on DVD, it will be some time before we get to seasons you have to think about purchasing. I enjoy seasons one and two, but none of my favorite episodes are included, so I'm excited about the next six or so box sets.

You'll want to purchase everything up to seasons nine or ten, when the writers run out of ideas and the stories become surreal or repetitive. Even then, there's enough good episodes and segments I'll probably buy 'em anyway.

My favorite episode has to be when Bart abuses a charity program for a Big Brother to replace his negligent father, and a jealous Homer retaliates by adopting a Little Brother, Pepi, who he constantly calls "Pepsi."

[AKA]

The show's not consistently great like it used to be, but it's still better than 90% of what's on TV right now. I plan on getting them all, but as Ron said, they only seem to be releasing one season per year (season one in 2001, season 2 in 2002, season 3 in 2003 and so on).

[bartels76]

This past season has been better than the last 2 I think. I don't think you can go wrong buying the first 10 seasons. Their peak was from like Season 3 to like Season 8 or 9. I'm OK w/ them taking their time. They are doing a great job w/ all the extras they are putting on these. They will never have to be re-released because they are doing them right the first time.

[Steve-oh]

Die-hard Simpsons fan here, and I agree that this year is better than the past couple. By the way, if you like the Simpsons DVDs, you might want to check out the Futurama season 1 set - also by Simpsons creator Matt Groening, the humor is much in the same vein.

[NoTinEar]

I think what the others are saying is true. I am diehard Simpsons fan and the show obviously isn't as good as it once was, but it still has moments of true greatness that as a fan you watch for. At any rate, what I think will happen to you if watch the seasons like you are is that you're going to become a real fan and then essentially you're going to want to get them all. Specifically back to your question however I agree that you will be extremely satisfied if you went right up to season 9 and possibly 10. Just be warned if you go that far in your going to be hooked, at least that's my opinion.

[bartels76]

Just keep watching the original airs on Fox and if you are enjoying them you may want to delve into the later years. I will buy all the seasons. Simpsons is my favorite TV show of all time. A bad Simpsons episode is still better than most stuff on TV.

[Beatlelennon65]

You will be safe through seasons 6 or 7. After that, the show seem to really lose some of its fun of the early seasons. Up through seasons 9 or 10 it is still good, but if you are going to go that far, you might as well buy them all. I still think the show is better than anything else on TV right now. The last episode with Lisa's dim the lights for the stars bit was one of the best in quite some time. It seems like the writers were really clicking in seasons 5, 6, and 7. They need to speed up the release of these sets. At least 2 a year would be nice. Futurama season 2 is already planned for fall. Season 1 of Futurama is one nice looking dvd set.

[msimonov]

You definitely should buy it. It one of the best seasons.
It has "Stark Raving Dad" AKA Michael Jackson episode.
I have heart it will released this May. So it will be aproximatly 9 months since season two.

[Oatsdad]

Originally posted by msimonov
You definitely should buy it. It one of the best seasons.
It has "Stark Raving Dad" AKA Michael Jackson episode.
I have heart it will released this May. So it will be aproximatly 9 months since season two.

No way it's coming out in May. July? Maybe. But with May only weeks away, there's no chance Season Three will be on the shelves then. Nothing's been announced, and Fox works pretty far in advance. I mean, I got my screener copy of Season Two six weeks early!

[lil.fred]

Originally posted by PearlJamFan2000
From what I understand, the later years are not as funny as the earlier ones. i.e. A friend once told me "they were really great through season 6"

Thanks,
Derek

Well, they didn't really GET funny until Season 3. The first 2 seasons, there was a kind of cloying normal-sitcom sentimentality, and (worse) the writers hadn't yet realized that Homer, not Bart, was their great character.

I start watching with season 3, where everything becomes more allusive, more knowing, and more sadistic. A sort of decline is in evidence after a certain point. Seasons 3-8 are terrific.

[czeskleba]

Originally posted by lil.fred
Well, they didn't really GET funny until Season 3. The first 2 seasons, there was a kind of cloying normal-sitcom sentimentality, and (worse) the writers hadn't yet realized that Homer, not Bart, was their great character.


You are underestimating season two, which features my all-time second favorite episode, "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge" in which Marge leads the campaign to have the violence removed from the cartoons. Not to mention the episode wherein Homer has only 24 hours to live... I forget the name of that one. Any way, I think by season two they had thoroughly hit their stride. And I see signs of decline in seasons 7 and 8, though they are still worth watching.

[msimonov]

Originally posted by Oatsdad


No way it's coming out in May. July? Maybe. But with May only weeks away, there's no chance Season Three will be on the shelves then. Nothing's been announced, and Fox works pretty far in advance. I mean, I got my screener copy of Season Two six weeks early!

You are right. :( The May date had disappeared from amazon.
And there are some rumors it will be released in July.


The source of rumors is "Simpsons DVD News"
http://www.snpp.com/news/dvd.html

[Oatsdad]

You are underestimating season two, which features my all-time second favorite episode, "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge"

You're right that Season Two is better than many people believe. Sure, it had some duds - "Old Money" remains one of the series' worst - but it included a lot of great material.

"Itchy" is one of those episodes - it's the one that made me a fan. Who could NOT adore "Porch Pals"?

"Lemonade"?

"Please!"

"I made it just for you."

"You are my best friend!"

(Okay, you gotta see the episode for this to be funny...)

[PsychFan]

Originally posted by czeskleba
You are underestimating season two, which features my all-time second favorite episode, "Itchy and Scratchy and Marge" in which Marge leads the campaign to have the violence removed from the cartoons. Not to mention the episode wherein Homer has only 24 hours to live...

... Not to mention the Ringo episode! "In England, we call french fries 'chips'!" ...

[Mike Dow]

Originally posted by msimonov
You definitely should buy it. It one of the best seasons.
It has "Stark Raving Dad" AKA Michael Jackson episode.
I have heart it will released this May. So it will be aproximatly 9 months since season two.

I read recently that Matt Groening and the writers only contributed their commentary tracks in late January and early February. It will be while before we see season three. My guess is October.

[bartels76]

I just got an email from Amazon.com saying the Simpson's 3rd Season will be release Aug 26th! I know it's a while from now but at least it's a set date!

[Steve-oh]

Just saw this info on comingsoon.net:

Meanwhile, Fox Home Entertainment has set an August 26 street date for the release of the third season of The Simpsons on DVD. The studio had originally indicated season three would be out by June, then pushed the date back to July.

Season one of The Simpsons sold a record 1.6 million boxed sets, while the second season moved out an estimated 1.25 million copies.

Fox has set a $49.98 suggested retail price for the four-disc collection of 24 episodes from the 1991-92 season. In addition to commentary, the set will include a discussion of animation with Matt Groening, Jim Brooks and Al Jean; outtakes from numerous episodes; audio of a table read for "Treehouse of Horror II"; an 11-song jukebox feature; and Fox promos for the show.

[Ron Stone]

Originally posted by Steve-oh
Fox has set a $49.98 suggested retail price for the four-disc collection of 24 episodes from the 1991-92 season. In addition to commentary, the set will include . . . outtakes from numerous episodes

Now how does an animated show end up with "outtakes"? If the audio is recorded first in order to sync the animation, they should know exactly how long the show's going. And with animation presumably an expensive, labor-intensive process, you'd think they'd never submit more material for production than they could use. What gives?

[bartels76]

Sometimes a scene or joke will be trimmed or changed before the show hits air.

[Mike Dow]

Originally posted by bartels76
I just got an email from Amazon.com saying the Simpson's 3rd Season will be release Aug 26th! I know it's a while from now but at least it's a set date!

Thanks Bartels 76 and Steve Oh for posting this! I am happy that a date has at least been announced. Last year's projected August street date for Season two was accurate, I hope we're as lucky this year.

[Anthology123]

For the newbie Simpson viewer, I suggest not waiting for all the DVDs to come out, but just catch it in syndication and see what you think. Somewhere in the US between 6pm to 12 am, a Simpsons episode is being aired.

[Rick Deschaine]

Originally posted by Ron Stone
Considering they're only releasing a couple [B]Simpsons seasons per year on DVD, it will be some time before we get to seasons you have to think about purchasing.


Actually, their only releasing them one season a year so far. Season 1 was released Sep. of 2001, season 2 was released august of 2002 and now season 3 will be released august of this year.

Granted, they may speed up the release schedule, but as things stand right now, we might see the other seasons on DVD in time for the format to be obsolete! ;)

Peace, Rick

[Ron Stone]

Originally posted by Rick Deschaine
Actually, they're only releasing [SIMPSONS seasons on DVD] one season a year so far. Season 1 was released Sep. of 2001, season 2 was released august of 2002 and now season 3 will be released august of this year.

Granted, they may speed up the release schedule, but as things stand right now, we might see the other seasons on DVD in time for the format to be obsolete!

Yup. I suspect this is partially to keep up demand for the individual seasons on DVD, while maintaining their syndication's value by keeping a minimum number of seasons exclusive to broadcast reruns. If this speculation's true, we may only see one season on DVD per year, as they release the just-completed season to syndication.

Does anyone know if the first and second seasons are still being shown on the daily reruns, after their DVD release?

I read somewhere that the syndication concerns are what's holding up SEINFELD from being released on DVD. Even if there are no contractual obstacles to a DVD run, it may not be worth devaluing the most expensive syndication property on television.

[Evan L]

Seinfeld is still getting ratings numbers in syndication comparable to network broadcast. This is why many stations are now showing two episodes a day, often in tandem.